Ashwani Kumar criticises Modi for targetting Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Dec 7 (ANI): Taking potshots at Narendra Modi for taunting Rahul Gandhi, Union Law and Justice Minister Ashwani Kumar on Friday said none of the members in the ruling party at the Centre are afraid of the Gujarat Chief Minister, and added that the Congress General Secretary who has his own political identity would be campaigning in the poll-bound state at an appropriate time.

Kumar said the people of the country are now fed up with the BJP's politics of allegations and counter-allegations.

"I think it is a sign of political bankruptcy in the BJP that they are now taking up the issue of which of our leaders will go to Gujarat and not. But I want to state here vigorously that nobody in the Congress Party is afraid of Narendra Modi. And in particular Rahul Gandhi, who has made his own political identity and given the Congress Party an ideological focus," said Ashwani Kumar.

"He will definitely visit Gujarat and campaign at the appropriate place at the appropriate time. The AICC determines his programme and not Narendra Modi," he added.

The Law Minister further said the people of the country are very well aware of Modi's political ideology.

"I don't want to comment on any useless remark. The country knows Narendra Modi's political ideology. We do not launch attack on personal individuals, but the people of the country will come to know the truth very soon," said Kumar, when

asked that Modi has alleged that Congress President Sonia Gandhi has not visited the poll-bound Gujarat for her script is not ready.

"Gujarat is called a progressive state, but the truth is that Gujarat is at the lowest if we see it in terms of sanitation, rural employment, poverty and unemployment, malnutrition. But the need of the hour is to present facts before the people and the politics in Gujarat should be on the basis of facts and not emotions," he added.

Modi, who was campaigning in poll-bound Gujarat earlier on Tuesday night, said Rahul Gandhi is not campaigning in Gujarat because he does not want to take responsibility of his party's likely defeat in the assembly polls.

"One of the Congress leaders from whom they have big expectations had camped in Uttar Pradesh for 12 months and people kicked that party out of the state. This 'valuable' leader of the Congress has not dared to campaign here for the assembly elections," said Modi without directly naming Rahul Gandhi.

"The leader knows the temperament of Gujarati people. He has realised that they won't be able to impress the people of Gujarat. Hence, he decided to pay merely token visits here. He doesn't want to take the responsibility of his party's defeat here," he added.

Modi also took a jibe at the ruling Congress Party at the Centre for withdrawing all photographs of Gandhi family members from its poll-related campaign material in Gujarat.

It may be recalled here that Modi, who has so far left no stones unturned in bringing forward his national ambitions, had earlier in September also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing the Swami Vivekananda Youth Convention in Rajkot, Modi had said Rahul Gandhi is just not a national leader, but an 'international leader' and can contest election in Italy also.

Gujarat will go to the polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 20. (ANI)